starwars_universefandomcom-20200215-history
Wilhuff Tarkin
Wilhuff Tarkin was one of the most powerful individuals in the Galactic Empire, a Grand Moff who shaped Imperial doctrine and was the driving force behind the creation of its key embodiment, the Death Star. Born on Eriadu in 61 BBY to the powerful and militaristic Human Tarkin family, the ambitious Tarkin began his career by serving in the Republic Navy. He then retired and entered politics, becoming lieutenant governor of Eriadu and the Seswenna sector, before returning to the military in order to serve Chancellor Palpatine as an agent of the secret Dark Lord's New Order movement. It was at that time that Tarkin learned of his friend Raith Sienar's designs for the Expeditionary Battle Planetoid and, convinced of the potential of the design, presented Palpatine with the plans for what would become the Death Star. Tarkin gained increasing stature as a vocal supporter of Palpatine and received notice as the Seswenna sector's governor throughout the Clone Wars. In the last days of the Clone Wars, Palpatine appointed Tarkin as the first Moff, and when the Galactic Republic became the Galactic Empire, the new Emperor Palpatine gave him oversight of the construction of the Death Star. Tarkin soon formulated the Tarkin Doctrine, which helped solidify his reputation as the greatest architect of the Empire save Palpatine. The Tarkin Doctrine called for rule of the galaxy through fear of overwhelming force, and recommended the creation of superweapons such as the Death Star to create terror of Imperial reprisal that would stifle any thoughts of rebellion. Delighted, Palpatine made Tarkin the first Grand Moff, giving him control of nearly the entire Outer Rim. As Grand Moff, Tarkin ruled with the same unyielding ruthlessness he had helped enshrine in Imperial doctrine. Biography Early Life Wilhuff Tarkin was born in 62 BBY into the House of Tarkin, an old, wealthy, and powerful clan that had originally been granted the world of Eriadu and still remained dominant in the politics and business of Eriadu and the Seswenna sector, as well as carrying strong influence in galactic politics. He and his younger brother, Gideon Tarkin, grew up in a family steeped in tradition, prestige, and accomplishment in politics, science, the arts, and the military. Tarkin's older cousin was Ranulph Tarkin, Senator for the Seswenna sector and a leading militarist and after his death in the Stark Hyperspace War, a war hero. Though Tarkin took pride in his family's history of service to the Galactic Republic and accomplishments on Eriadu, he resented the lack of respect his Outer Rim-based clan received in comparison to the aristocratic families of the Core Worlds, fueling in him a burning ambition to excel. Ambition and ascent As a young man, Tarkin enrolled in a military academy, in accordance with the Tarkin family's strong military tradition. Driven to live up to every aspect of the family legacy, young Wilhuff Tarkin cultivated expertise in multiple fields, establishing a reputation as an intellectual prodigy with a well-rounded mind. He displayed great aptitude as a tactician in the course of his schooling, drafted starship designs that inspired the design of interdictor craft, broke new ground in xenobiology theory, and demonstrated great talent as a poet and philosopher. A keen analyst of the political situation, Tarkin perceived the Galactic Republic to be a decaying institution, and envisioned a new future for the galaxy. His vision was a militant one, authoritarian and Human-centrist, and he possessed a driving ambition to rise to the ranks of power, where he could effect change. After graduation, he and his brother Gideon joined the Republic Outland Regions Security Force, a military policing force that kept the Outland Regions, a Rim area that included Eriadu, safe from piracy. Tarkin was a fast riser who achieved the rank of commander, and during the course of his service visited Coruscant, capital of the galaxy, several times. There, around 40 BBY, he befriended Raith Sienar, heir to the Sienar Fleet Systems shipbuilding concern and an accomplished engineer who was near Tarkin's age. Clone War In 3? BBY, the Clone War broke out between the Republic and the secessionist government, the Alliance of Independent Systems. Eriadu was a major Republic stronghold during the war, a significant forward position surrounded by heavily armed sectors, and it was under Tarkin's command. Gideon Tarkin commanded the Republic's fleet in the area. Eriadu and Sullust were the region's key fortresses, but in the second year of the war, Sullust was taken in a surpise attack by the Mandalorians. Tarkin's brother commanded a major offensive directed to take back Sullust, losing but seizing much of the Sluis sector from the Mandalorians. As the war went along, Tarkin made a name for himself, though, not all was fighting, as he engaged in multiple negotiations on behalf of the Republic. Around ? BBY, Tarkin encountered Jedi Jard Dooku when he was assigned to guard a diplomatic envoy that included Dooku among its members. After negotiations had failed, the consular ship came under an attack, and during the fighting Tarkin was gravely wounded. Only timely action by Dooku saved him, after which Tarkin and Dooku became friends and associates. Still a young man, Commander Tarkin retired from the military at the conclusion of the war in order to seek a political career on Eriadu. With the aid of his family's political heft and numerous connections, Tarkin was elected the lieutenant governor of Eriadu and the Seswenna sector in early 31 BBY, dwelling in an elegant mansion on Eriadu City's bay. Tarkin gained a measure of notoriety in galactic political circles for his militant views, while on Eriadu he was known as a foe of the Eriaduan branch of House of Valorum. Though he was subordinate to the sector governor, Tarkin was an active force in Eriaduan life, taking a strong hand in political and economic affairs. A rising politician, Tarkin was acquainted with Senator Cosinga Palpatine, an influential member of the Galactic Senate, and newly elected President of the Republic. Gaining authority Tarkin had previously attempted to curry favor with multiple factions, but he saw a sea change in the political situation and moved to ally himself more closely with Palpatine's administration. Convinced to serve his agenda, Tarkin became connected to the secretive but emergent New Order movement quietly building in the government, which agreed with Tarkin's authoritarian, militaristic, and Humancentric beliefs. Over the next year, Tarkin became known for his support of Palpatine and the intellectual argumentation in favor of the Chancellor's moves to consolidate power, and frequently advocated Palpatine's policies before the Galactic Senate, a venue in which he had great success. Tarkin had many friends within the Senate, as well as in the business realm, contacts that allowed him to further rise in influence. Near the end of his first year in office, Palpatine issued the Declaration of a New Order, converting the Republic into the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor. Within the next few years, Tarkin left office and Emperor Palpatine reactivated Tarkin's commission and moved him to Coruscant, where he became a valuable agent of the New Order. Tarkin kept a small but prestigiously located apartment high in Prime Senate Spire. Tarkin's service earned him the right to wear robes of senatorial favor, a distinguishing honor that signified exceptional service to the Imperial Senate. One of Tarkin's assignments was to monitor the Jedi and work to prevent any increases in their power. In the course of his surveillance, he placed a droid programmed to spy in the halls of the Jedi Temple, which gave Tarkin the ability to eavesdrop on many sensitive private conversations. Zonama Sekot In 6 BJP, Tarkin attended a secret meeting in which he learned that Palpatine had, after three years, forced a resolution to the fallout from the attack the Trade Federation had staged on Naboo over the taxation of the trade routes. The Trade Federation security forces were to be disbanded and disarmed, their assets turned over to the Republic. The main focus for Tarkin, however, was a mission to seek out Zonama Sekot, a mysterious and remote planet, considered half legend but rumored to produce extraordinary living starships, and obtain one of its starships, or even control over the planet. He came afterward to see his old friend Raith Sienar, who had by that time ascended to control of the Sienar business empire, and whom Tarkin knew to secretly have a Sekotan ship. Tarkin explained to Sienar the nature of Zonama Sekot and asked for his expertise, but did not bring up the ship when Sienar pretended unfamiliarity with the planet. During the meeting, Tarkin observed and was fascinated by Sienar's designs for an Expeditionary Battle Planetoid, a massive space station designed to control star systems, which featured a giant turbolaser powered directly by the station's core. Tarkin saw tremendous potential in the concept, as fear of such a weapon's visitation, he believed, would solve the ancient problem of how to keep order in a galaxy too large for any fleet to patrol effectively and deny support to guerrilla movements. Soon afterward, Tarkin was forced to put his plan into action abruptly when he found that the Jedi were sending a mission of their own to Zonama Sekot. Tarkin, using a tracker he had planted on Sienar, followed the engineer into his secret hall of engineering failures, bringing Ke Daiv as a bodyguard, and demanded that Sienar provide access to the tracking beacon he had built into the ship Star Sea Flower, the transport used by the Jedi expedition—during a refitting. He then asked Sienar to command the venture to Zonama Sekot, an offer the other man accepted. He briefed Sienar on the expedition, which was to consist of decommissioned Trade Federation ships and their crews, which had not yet been turned over to the Republic, as well as Daiv, who would report back to Tarkin. They then had to wait for the Jedi ship to reach Zonama Sekot, allowing them to learn the planet's location through the tracking device. During that time, Tarkin imposed on Sienar to show him the Sekotan ship that Sienar owned, though there was little to be learned from the dead craft. Once the Star Sea Flower emerged from hyperspace, Tarkin rushed Sienar to his task force and sent him off. Observing his lackluster forces, Sienar accused Tarkin of rigging the situation so that Sienar would fail, but the commander denied that allegation. As Sienar's expedition drew on with no report, Tarkin sent Sienar a message asking for an update. Sienar, seeking to bring Tarkin running, sent a reply that falsely stated that Daiv had failed in an attempt to assassinate him and had been sent on a suicide mission, and that Sienar had found something magnificent and required no assistance. Having played on his contacts in the Senate for greater support, Tarkin rushed a task force of Republic vessels, stronger than the one he had assigned Sienar, to Zonama Sekot in order to take control of the situation, and activated the hidden programming he had buried in Sienar's droid starfighters to impel them into an attack on the planet, the conflict justifying Tarkin in taking a more militaristic approach when he arrived. Sienar was able to disable most of the droids before they launched, but Tarkin had Captain Kett, captain of Sienar's flagship Admiral Korvin, place Sienar under arrest. Sienar would not comply with Tarkin's request that he be given access to the new programming with which he knew Sienar had equipped his droid complement, so Tarkin transferred to the Admiral Korvin and escorted his former friend to his own flagship, Rim Merchant Einem. Tarkin launched the invasion with his own forces, justifying it as a police action involving a starship chase he observed in the atmosphere. He deployed sky mines and droid starfighters, giving the planet's inhabitants no warning. He was surprised when the world deployed greater defenses than he had expected, launching waves of ships that brought down many of Tarkin's starfighters. Tarkin located one large Sekotan ship that had set down on its own, and landed with his forces to capture it. He recognized the pilot as Anakin Skywalker, a member of the Jedi expedition to the planet, and took him and the ship aboard the sky-mine delivery ship he had used as a landing craft. Tarkin questioned the boy about the ship, nearly provoking him into attacking Tarkin with the Force. The Star Sea Flower began boarding the ship in a rescue effort led by Skywalker's Jedi Master, Ben Kenobi, and Tarkin rushed from the hangar bay. The Jedi escaped in the Jabitha, their Sekotan ship, while Tarkin had to abandon the minelayer, which the Jedi had rigged with explosives, in an escape pod that he shared with Sienar. Recovered by the Rim Merchant Einem, Tarkin launched a renewed assault on the planet. To his shock, Zonama Sekot engaged massive engines and the entire planet jumped to hyperspace. The effect of its jump hurled Tarkin's fleet into chaos, while the Jedi escaped. Tarkin managed to limp his fleet home and, called before Palpatine, presented him with Sienar's plans for the Expeditionary Battle Planetoid, taking sole credit for the design. Sienar, uneasy with the design, did not dispute him, and the design allowed Tarkin to redeem his failure to secure Zonama Sekot for Palpatine, who was interested in the concept. Palpatine began work on bringing the project to fruition himself, having the plans refined by engineer Bevel Lemelisk, while Republic researchers worked on component systems. Crisis on Alderaan By ? BBY, Tarkin was serving as the governor of Eriadu and the Seswenna sector. His brother, Brigadier Gideon Tarkin, served as his Minister of Security, while relative Shayla Paige-Tarkin represented the sector in the Senate. Under Tarkin, the sector remained loyal to the Empire, even as the region became a hotspot of activity for the growing Rebellion movement. Natasi Daala Appearances *''Star Wars: A New Hope'' }} Notes and references Category:Males Category:Humans Category:Authors Category:Inhabitants of Coruscant Category:House of Tarkin Category:Inhabitants of Eriadu Category:Grand Moffs of the Galactic Empire Category:Moffs of the Galactic Republic Category:Galactic Empire science and engineering personnel Category:Galactic Republic science and engineering personnel Category:Philosophers Category:Poets Category:Spies Category:Pilots